Beet-lifting mechanism.



W. B. POX. BRET LIFTING MECHANISM.

' a. 910,467., I Patented Jan.19, 1909, I I zsnnm's suns UNITED sTArns PATENT UFFXCE.

WILLIAM B. FOX, OF BRECKENRIDGE, MICHIGAN. I

BEET-LIFTING mscnsnrsm.

Originalapplication filed August 17, 1906, Serial To all whom it may concern: Y

-Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Breckenridge, in the county of Gratiot and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet- Lifting Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it. appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to harvesting machines, and more particularly to beet harvesting machines, though it is also capable of use for harvesting other root crops as well.

Manufacturers of beet harvesting machinery have proceeded along divergentlines, one class preferring to top the beet prior to pulling it, while the other class utilize the top for pulling the beet, after which the top is removed. In my invention, I depart from both forms, since the top is ieft on the beet until after it, is pulled and yet I do not use the top in pullingthe beet. It is not feasible to top the beetsprior to pulling, since the top of the'roots may be just below or some distance above the ground and an operator must continually adjust the cutter to each. beet as he approaches it. Naturally this is im racticable and as a result many beets are eit ier not topped at all or else a large slice of the root itself is removed with the top.

One object-of my invention is the provision of means for uprooting the beets from beneath by means of plows.

Another object is the provision of imroved means for bunching the tops of the eets.

A further object is the provision of means for causing the beets to fall, tops first, onto.

tlie conveyor.

. A still further object is the provision of a conveyor capable of handling beets of var"- ing size.

- Still another object is the provision of means for raising and lowering the lifting mechanism.

A still further object is the provision of means for automatically retaining the tops in bunched position as they are carried along by the conveyers. I

Other objects of my invention will be more fully set. forth hereinafter and particularly I pointed out in the claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

No. 331,001. Divided and this application filed January 16, 1908. Serial No. 1,139.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device equipped with one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation; Fig. t is a detail perspective view of theelerating chute; Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view t icrethrough; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing the means for operating the conical rolls.

This application constitutes a divisional part of an original application tiled by me, August 17,1906, Serial No. 331,09l, upon which Letters Patent No. 890,585, wcre granted June 9, 1908, and referenco'is made thereto for all description of the topping mechanism.

The drawings merely disciose one of a number of embodiments in which my invensuch drawings, (A) indicates any suitable framework supported the-rear driving wheels (1) (l) and t.l1e" froi1t wheels (2) (2). These front wheels are each ourni iiul on the lower ends of the curved arms (3) (3) having a knuckle (4) formed at their lower ends, as shown in Fig. 3, the l-znuckies adapted to receive the ends of an inverted U-shaped axle (5), to which the rear end ofthe tongue (6) is secured. Pivot pins (7) (7) pass through the knuckles and 'thelower ends of the axle (5) to loosely connect the arms and axle and braces (8) (8) extend between the knuckles and the tongue to strengthen and support the latter. 7

A s F ider (9) is mounted on the frame (A) near t 1e forward end thereof,a seat (10) being supported bythe spider, and to this spider is pivotally secured a foot-bar (11) extending transversely of the frame, the opposite ends of the foot-bar being connected by means of links (12) (12) to the upper ends of the arms (3) (3).

The object of this construction is to enable the operator to guide the machine properly relative to the beet rows, which are generally somewhat crooked, even though the. beets have been drilled, and it is plainly obvious that unless the machine is made fieXibleso that it can follow the rows,a large number of beets will be injured by the plowsor else will not be gathered. The operator, seated on the seat (10) places his feet on the pivoted 1 foot-bar (11) and can easily and quickly tion may be incorporated, and referring to '1 head of the gooseneck I pivot a rocking lever ing the weight of the frame, relieving the staend of the rocking lever (15) upward to raise vided to lock the lever (17 and the frame in guide the machine so as to bring the successive beets directly between the plows or lift-' ers (13) (13), hereinafter set forth.

It is quite evident that an inoperative machine will result if there is no means for rais ing and lowering the lifters as when traveling from place to place on the road or upon arriving at the end of a row of beets, the machine, of course, traveling back and forth across the field. ln order, therefore, to permit the lifters to be raised above the level of I tie ground, 1 preferably form the forward e1 d of the frame into a gooseneck (1d) and between the side-bars of the frame at the (15) intermediate its ends, the forward end of the lever being loosely connected m any suitable manner, as by a staple (16), to the roar end of the tongue. A hand lever (17 is pivi oted to the frame below the lever (15) and in position to be readily operated by the driver in seat one end of the lever being connected by a link (18) to the rear end of the rocking lever From this, it will be seen thatthe weight of the forward end of the frame and the parts carried thereby is loosely connected to the rear end of the tongue by means of the staple (16), but when the lifters are in the ground, they will assist in support ple of a strain and the staple is strong enough to support are wcight when the machine 1s bent" transported from lace. to lace or being turned t the end of a row.

in order to lift the forward end of the (19), the driver will grasp the lever (17) and force it downward, thereby thrustingupward on'the link (18) and docking the rear the forward end of the frame, which carries the lifters. A reverse movement of the lever i (17) lowers the forward end of the frame and liftcrs any suitable mechanism being protheir adjusted ositions. it is evident also that by manipu ating this lever, the depth to l which the lovers will descend when in operation may be regulated.

The lifters (13) are located at the lower ends of standards (20) (20) depending from the frame (A), and such lifters may be of any suitable form, but I preferably provide the air of lifters shown which incline rearwardly rom point to heel and are so positioncchthat the space between the lifters is constricted from point to heel as well.

The plan of o eration of my invention is as 1 follows: The liters are caused to enter the l ground a suitable distance on opposite sides I of the rows of beets and as the machine 2 moves forwardly the ljfters pass beneath the widest diameter of the roots of the beets and gently raise the roots out of the ground. If 1 the beet sets deep in the ground, the forward ground in all directions,

rolls, onto which the beets fall with their tops extending rearwardly, the tops having been gathered and bunched by suitable means located directly above the lifters. The tendency of the beets is to fall rearwardly, but where a beet is small, or for other causes, it might sometimes fall forwardly, toobviate which, I provide a heater, which thrusts the to s rearwardly insuring that the beet will fail in the right direction.

From the rolls, the beet is conveyed, top foremost, first upwardly and.rearwardly and thence downwardly to the topping mechan ism, a description ofwhich 18 embodied in my United States Letters Patent- No. 890,585 granted June 9, 1908.

To return to the construction of the machine, the frame supports a chute (2 which extends rearwardly and upwardly from a point just behind the rolls (24), the lower forward end of the chute being open to receive the beets. To the forward end of the top of the chute is hinged a lip (23), the free end of whichlip has a sprocket wheel (25) journaled therein, as-shown in Fig. 4. A

, pair of diverging guides (22) (22) are secured to the frame at a point ust above the l1ft"IS frame, which is ournaled on the rear axle (13) (13), the guides being inclined rearwardly, their lower forward ends or. points lying just at the surface of the ground,

whereby to catch and embrace all the leaves of the top which often spread over the the leaves being gradually straightened and bunched as the machine moves forwardly. The forward open end of the chute lies some distance behind the guides, the hinged lip (23) projects ing in advance of the chute and lying above the rear ends of the guides (22) (22). The forward end of the lip is reduced, as shown, to provide space for the rotary heaters (26) (26) carried on the ends of the shaft (27)-of the sprocket (25). The heaters may preferably consist of members located at opposite ends of'the shaft (27) and extending transversely relative thereto, the members each having transversely projecting pins (28) (28) extending parallel with the snaft (27), as shown in Fig. 4, and the lip is recessed, as at (29), to permit the pins to pass therethrough. The hinged lip and heaters are adjustable to different heights of tops by means of the lever (122) to which the lip is connected by means of a link (123).

With the. possible eXce tion of the cover, which may be solid, asks own, the bottom and sides of chute (21) are formed of slats the beets to drop through the chute asthe chains (43), sprocket (41) being located at after which the chain passes down through .to be dropped baclr onto the ground, without 1passing through the machine.

' with spiral grooves have been used, but the thence upward through chute (21), a pres sure roller (51) within the chute bearing on the chain (43) to hold it down. These conveyer chains are each arranged to travel together and are provided'each with a series of fingers (52) (52), the fingers on the upper chain (43) ada ted to take over or embrace the fingers on t 1e lower chain, in the manner shown in figs. 1 and 5. The lower chain spaced apart from each other, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to permit any soil adhering to beets are conveyed herethrough. v

Just below the hinged lip (23) are the conical rolls (24) (24), the space between which being constructed as shown in l ig. 6, the rolls being set at an incline to the hori zontal and having the spiral ribs (30) (30) extending peripherallythereon. These rolls form a continuation of the incline of the lifters, the points ofthe rolls lying adjacent the heels of the lifters and the space between the rolls is designed to ermit the dirt and stones raised by the liters with the beet,

(53) to cause it to positively engage the teeth of the gear (44). The fingers project from the opposite sides of the chains (43) (43) so as to avoid contact with the sprockets over which the chains pass, and it is the function of the pressure roller (51) to hold the fingers in the telescoped position, shown in Fig. 5. The operation of this part of my invention'is as follows: The beets having been raised out of the ground, by the lifters (13) (13) and having their tops bunched during such lifting process by the bunching guides (22) (22) are engaged by the heaters (26) which by contact with the bunched tops operate to throw the to s rearwardly, the roots being supported by t e conical rolls (24) (24). .It Wlll be observed that the beaters and sprocket wheel (25) are located above and in advance of the sprocket (42), which is situated just in the rear of the rolls (24), so that the bunched tops are engaged and held in constricted. position by the fingers (52) before theyleave the bunching guides (22), the rear ends of which are located beneath the sprocket (25). When the root engages the roll (24), it is caught by the peripheral spiral ribs and forcedv rearwardly, the bunched tops extending toward the rear of the machine and being confined by the fingers (52-) of the upper chain (43). As the fingers of the upper chain reach the rear ends of'the roiis a set of fingers on the lower chain arrive and mesh between the fingers of the upper chain, the root being transferred from the rolls (24) to the chains between which it lies and by which is it gripped and carried up the chute (21) and down into the tripping chute (45). The upper chain (43) leaves the beet at the upper end of the inclined chute (21), but the lower chain continues on through the down chute (45). A shaft (54) is journaled at the upper end of the down-chute, said i shaft carrying a gear (55) and a sprocl-zet sprocket (42), the latterheinglocatcd at the t (56), a drive-chain (5'7) p assing over gear forward end of the machine at the mouth 55) and over a second gear (58) on shaft e rear aXle carries the drive gears (31) (31) which communicate motion to a counter shaft (36) by means of sprocket chains (37) passing over the gears (31) (31) and over the sprockets (38) on the cou'ntershaft,. which in turn carries a bevel gear (39) meshing with a bevel-gear (32) on shaft (33), the shaft (33 being suitably journaled in the frame beneath the conveyer chute, and having one of the conical rolls (24) secured thereon at its forward end. A shaft (34) suitably journaled .inthe frame carries the other conical roll (24), shafts (33) and (34) bearing the 'intermesl ling gears (35), whereby the rolls are caused to rotate toward each other.

I am aware that heretofore conical rolls ribs project above the surfaces of the rolls and actually engage and force the beet upward along the rolls, whereas the grooves lack this function and furthermore lose whatever utility they may possess by becoming filled with clay and soil.

The sprockets (40) (41) and (42) occupy-- ing a triangular relation to each other and journaled in the frame Jare adapted to support the lower of the drive or conveyer the apex of the frame, such chain (43) passing over a gear-wheel (44) on counter-shaft (36) from which it derives its motion, the chain passing upward through. the slotted conveyer chute (21) and over sprocket (41),

a tripping chute (45) and thence around sproc..-:et (41) over (44) and around of chute (21).v The sprocket (41 is carried (49), whereby motion is imparted to an by a shaft (46), on which is secured a gear upper drive chain (59) passing around (47) meshing with a gear (it on shaft (49) sprocket (56) and a sprocket (60, on shaft located above the upper end of chute (21), I (61) carried at the lower end of the cover of the shaft (49) carrying a sprocket (50), l the down-chute (45). The chain (59) is around which passes the remaining chain provided with fingers 2) telescoping over (43) of the corweyer, chain (43) passing the fingers (52) of the chain (43), its before downward outside thr chute (21) and over described, the chains (43) (43) and chain sprocket (25) on the hinged lip' (23) and l (59) all running together and constituting a (43) is also engaged by a tightening sprocket conveyer for the roots and to s. The upper open ends of chutes (21) and lie adjacent each other, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower beets possesses other disadvantages as well.

In those machines which grasp the top of the beet and pull it, the beets subsequently being conveyed by the gripping chains to a cutter, the same disadvantages first mentioned arise, namely, that the cutter will leave some inches of top on one beet While the next will be cut in two through the root.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A beet harvester complising a frame, inclined lifters carried by the frame, bunching guides located above the lifters, rotatable rolls located rearwardly of the lifters, spiral ribs on the rolls, and conveyor mechanism for receiving beets from the rolls.

2. A beet harvester comprising a frame, inclined lifters carried by the frame, conveying mechanism, rolls located between the lifters and conveying mechanism, bunching guides located above the lifters, and a rotary beatenfor engaging the tops and forcing them rearwardly.

3. A beet harvester comprising a frame, inclined lifters carried by the frame, conveying mechanism, rolls located between the lifters and conveying mechanism, bunching guides located above the lifters, anda rotary beater driven by the conveying mechanism for engaging the tops and forcing them rear- Wardly.

4. A beet harvester comprising a frame, inclined lifters carried 'by the frame, conveying mechanism, rolls located between the lifters and conveying mechanism, a rotary beater driven by the conveying mechanism, and means for adjusting the beater.

5. A beet harvester comprising lifters, conveying mechanism leading from the lifters, rolls interposed between the lifters and con veying mechanism, and bunching guides located above the lifters.

6,- A beet harvester comprising lifters, conveying mechanism, rolls located between the lifters and conveying mechanism, a-

hinged lip, a rotary beater j ournaled on the lip, and means for adjusting the lip.

7. A beet harvester comprising lifters, rolls on which the material from the lifters is received, means for bunching the tops, an adjustable lip, a shaft carried by the lip. heaters mounted on the shaft and above the bunching means, and conveying mechanism for receiving the beets.

8. A beet harvester comprising lifters,

rolls on which the material from the lifters is received, means for bunching the tops, an adjustable lip, a shaft carried by the 'p, heaters mounted on the shaft and above the bunching means, the lip being slotted to give clearance to the heaters, and conveying mechanism for receiving the heels.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM. B. FOX; Witnesses: i

GEO. W. TORBERT, CLARENCE K. FOX. 

